Traditional heated nozzle assemblies for additive manufacturing systems (i.e., 3D printer systems) have the disadvantage of the heater and the temperature sensor not being in intimate contact with the material being heated. This is because the heater is typically mounted in a block near the extrusion tube assembly, rather than being in direct contact with or within the extrusion tube assembly itself. Such configurations result in uneven heating, less precise temperature control, and heat and energy losses from the surface of the tool because the temperature sensor is not accurately reading the temperature of the melted material. Furthermore, the inefficient heat transfer forces the heater of the additive manufacturing system to run at much higher temperatures, which places more thermal strain on the components of the system and thus results in shorter life for the system.
While several devices have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventors has made or used the device described in the appended claims.